Making travel plans to Walt Disney World may seem like a marathon. Sure, it’s the Most Magical Place on Earth, but when you’re in the midst of making your 60-day-in-advance dining reservation at 6 a.m., it’s easy to feel like it’s all a bit much. Planning ahead is actually the key to making your trip as stress-free as possible, though, as someone who has visited the parks on multiple occasions for work, I can attest to. (well, not as stressful). To do that, it’s always good to know exactly what’s coming in the world of Disney.
And Disney World is expecting a very big year in 2024 with the return of several fan-favorite services as well as a few exciting new attractions. Let’s examine some of the most significant changes that Disney World will experience in the upcoming year.
The Disney World Dining Plan Returns
After nearly four years, the Disney Dining Plan will return for trips beginning on Jan. 9, 2024. For those who do not know, you can “pre-pay” for your meals at Disney World by using the Disney Dining Plan. By purchasing “credits” for each night of your trip, you can add it to your Disney World stay and use them for quick-service or table-service meals.
For each person in your party who is three years old and older, you have two options to choose from: the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan. Each guest in your party will receive a refillable resort mug, but the standard dining plan offers table service, quick service, and a snack for each person each night of your stay.
However, the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan comes with a snack and two quick-service meals every night of your visit.
The Disney Dining Plan costs $94.28 for adults (ages 10+) or $26.69 for kids (ages 3 to 9). The Quick-Service Dining Plan costs $57.01 and $23.38 for adults and kids, respectively. A comprehensive list of all the places in the Walt Disney World Resort where these credits can be used can be found here.
If you’re visiting the parks during select nights this spring, you also may be able to save 50% on kids’ dining plans with Disney’s Kids Play and Dine for 50% off offer.
New and Updated Rides and Attractions
We had a few new and exciting additions to the parks in 2023. In the spring, Magic Kingdom welcomed TRON Lightcycle/Run, and in October, EPCOT welcomed Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana.
We can anticipate a few new additions in 2024. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to open at Magic Kingdom towards the end of 2024. The Princess and the Frog’s Tiana’s story is carried on by the log flume ride, which replaces the former Splash Mountain. The ride will include songs and other exciting features in addition to audio-animatronics of both well-known and new characters.
Additionally, two fascinating new updates will be coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s been announced that Star Tours will be adding new adventures to its ride, meaning guests could potentially visit new places and see new characters like Ahsoka Tano. TThe stage production of Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which ran from 1992 to 2020, will also formally be replaced by the park. It will be replaced by an updated version of the tale, The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, in fall 2024.
Over at EPCOT, a massive years-long transformation will also finally be complete in 2024. The last element of this huge overhaul will be Communicore Hall and Plaza, which will be part of the newly opened World Celebration. Though little has been confirmed thus far, concept art has alluded to the space being used for possible live performances or meet and greets. By the time it opens in 2024, we’ll know more!
All-Day Park Hopping
Along with the return of the Disney Dining Plan, Jan. 9 will also bring the return of all-day park hopping. The term “park hopping” describes visiting multiple parks at Disney World. When purchasing your ticket, you can buy a Park Hopper ticket to visit more than one park in a day.
Disney World park hopping has mandated that visitors wait until 2:00 p.m. to visit their second park as of July 2021. However, as of January 9, you won’t have to wait until 2 p.m. to park hop. You can do so at any time of day.
Park Reservation Changes
A significant modification was made when Disney World reopened in July 2020: the Park Pass reservation system was implemented. Essentially, this change requires you to “reserve” the park you intend to visit on a given day. Even with a ticket, you won’t be allowed entry into the park if you don’t have a Park Pass.
On January 9, 2024, date-based tickets won’t need a Park Pass reservation, which will change that. A date-based ticket is one that you purchase for entry to a specific park on a specified date; therefore, starting on that date, you will not also require a Park Pass.
Disney has also released an update for owners of annual passes, even though it doesn’t apply to them or non-date-based tickets. Passholders can now enter a park after 2:00 p.m. without a Park Pass reservation as of 2023 (though Magic Kingdom is closed on Saturdays and Sundays).
But Disney is going to start offering “good-to-go” days to Passholders on January 11, 2024. These chosen days will be added to the annual pass holder admission schedule, allowing pass holders to visit the theme parks without making a reservation for a Park Pass.
New Restaurants
2023 brought several new restaurants to Disney World, including the Toy Story-themed Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s BoardWalk will see new developments in 2024, such as The Cake Bake Shop and Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs. Speaking of Disney’s BoardWalk…
Hotel Makeovers
Over the past few years, we’ve seen some significant transformations at the Disney World hotels — and these will be continuing in 2024! Disney’s BoardWalk is currently undergoing reservations, with new additions such as Carousel Coffee and updates to many of the hotel rooms.
Although Disney Vacation Club properties have received the majority of the hotel’s attention, non-DVC rooms have also been updated. This has included The Incredibles-themed rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Moana-inspired rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
For the most recent information on renovations, be sure to visit the official Disney World website if you plan to visit in 2024. Remember that hotels remain open during renovations, so even if you choose to stay at one that is undergoing work, there shouldn’t be too much disturbance.
A New Disney Vacation Club Tower
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will welcome a new Disney Vacation Club tower in 2024, one of the major new attractions coming to Disney World. The expansion boasts a gorgeous view of Seven Seas Lagoon, and work is currently well underway.
While Disney has not announced an official opening date for this new expansion, it should be ready for guests to visit by late 2024.
